Tennis raquet



March 20, 1956 1 VALLIERES 2,738,976

TENNIS RAQUET Filed March 8, 1954 @WWW United tates Patent O TENNIS RAQUET Lucien Vallieres, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada Application March 8, l1954, Serial No. 414,826

s claims. (cl. 27s-'13) The present invention pertains to a novel tennis raquet.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a raquet with means for holding tennis balls and shoes against the surfaces of the strung web, so that these articles will not be lost or misplaced. Another object is to provide such means in the form of cords that are retracted by elastics into the handle when not in use. Still another object is to provide a simple and economical construction for the purposes set forth. In the accomplishment of these objects, the handle of the raquet is hollow and contains elastics to which are joined two sets of cords extending to opposite surfaces of the frame. The free ends of the cords, except one on each side of the frame, carry iingers insertable in Ithe sides of the frame. The remaining two cords are longitudinal and carry hooks that attach to the web. Each set of cords forms a network adapted to hold the tennis balls and the shoes to the surfaces of the web.

The cords when not in use are drawn by the elastics into the handle. The hooks carry guards that prevent their passing through the frame into the handle; yet, the retracted hooks do not interfere with play.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the device;

Figure 2 is an end View;

Figure 3 is an opposite side view;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the fingers;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a -section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the center part of the raquet;

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Figure l; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the hooks.

Reference to these Views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

Figures 1, 3 and 6 show the entire raquet comprised of a handle 1 and an Oval frame 2 at one end containing the gut strings 3. The handle 1 is hollow at 4 fromA its free end to an opening 5 formed in the frame. The free end of the handle is closed by a disk 6 held by two screws 7 (Figure 2).

On the inner surface of the disk 6 is a ring 8 through which are passed two endless elastic bands 9 at one end. At the other end one of the bands is joined to three cords 10, two of which diverge to the sides of the frame at one surface of the web, as shown in Figure l. The free ICC ends of two cords 10 carry fingers 11 inserted in slot-s 12v in the sides of the frame 2. These cords 10 are crossconnected by intersecting cords 10', and the central cord 10 carries a hook 13 at its free end.

The free kend of the remaining elastic 9 is attached to a set of four cords 15 and a longitudinal cord 17 at the opposite surface of the web. These cords diverge to the sides ofthe frame where they are tted with additional retaining fingers 11. Cord 17 carries at its freeend' a hook 13' similar to that carried by central cord 10 that attaches to the web.

As shown in Figure 1, the cord-s 10 and 10 hold a number of tennis balls 1S against one side of the web. On the other side of the web, a pair of shoes 19 is held by the cords 15, 17. The tension of the elastics 9 holds the several cords taut on the objects.

The balls are removed by withdrawing the corresponding lingers 11 from their slots 12. The shoes are removed in like manner accompanied by disengaging the hook 13 from the web. The cords are pulled by the elastics until the hooks are stopped at the back of the frame by the guards 14. The raquet may then be used in play since the cords are now entirely within the handle. For further use, the cords are readily drawn out by their hooks.

Although a specic embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and'described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tennis raquet comprising a handle, a frame at one end thereof, and a strung web in said frame; a pair of elastics mounted lengthwise in said handle, said elastics having one end secured to the outer end of said handle, two sets of cords attached respectively to the inner ends of said elastics and passing through said handle respectively to opposite surfaces of said web, hooks on the free ends of some of said cords adapted for attachment to said web, and means for releasably attaching the remaining cords to the sides of said frame.

2. A tennis raquet comprising a handle, a frame at one end thereof, and a strung web in said frame; a pair of elastics mounted lengthwise in said handle, said elastics having one end secured to the outer end of said handle, two sets of cords attached respectively to the inner ends of said elastics and passing through said handle respectively to opposite surfaces of said web, hooks on the free ends of some of said cords adapted for attachment to said web, and fingers on the free ends of the remaining cords and adapted for insertion in the sides of said frame.

3. In a tennis raquet as set forth in claim 1, guards on said hook-s for obstructing passage of said hooks into said handle.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 27, 1931 

